Ukrainian campaign group Razom We Stand responds to today’s EU call at 2 p.m. CET with Chancellor Merz, Zelensky, and Trump, as well as reports that U.S. President Donald Trump’s upcoming call with Putin in Alaska may include land gifts or even talk of coming US business deals with Russia. EU leaders claim they need to pressure Trump on sanctions, yet the EU still needs to cut it’s own consumption of Russian fossil fuel exports, which continue to help fund Russia’s war. The USA must lead on sanctions, not reward Putin with photo opportunities on American soil.
Dr Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said:
“Land gifts and promises of business deals for Putin won’t be what ends his brutal war on my country. But functioning sanctions against Russia’s oil and gas industry will and will save Ukrainian lives. Since the beginning of the war, Russia has earned more than $1 trillion (€921 billion) from fossil fuel exports, funding the brutality, murder, and war crimes committed against Ukrainians for over three years. Existing measures have already forced Russia into longer trade routes, higher shipping costs, and shrinking foreign reserves, proof that pressure is working. But instead of acting decisively, President Trump is rewarding Putin with a photo opportunity on American soil, when Putin should be arrested for war crimes, including for kidnapping Ukrainian children. Strengthened and aligned sanctions and economic punishment measures are needed now, not after more delays. This is the moment for the EU, and the USA to collaborate to close every loophole and shut down the flows of cash that keep Putin’s war machine alive.”
Recent signs of positive change give hope for the impact of strong sanctions: following Trump’s penalties against India for continuing to purchase Russian oil, state-owned refineries reportedly paused purchases of Russian crude, a clear sign that sanctions can work when firmly applied.
The EU should implement multiple strategies to reduce Russian gas dependency, and bring more affordable clean energy that will bring true energy and national security:
- Stop wasting taxpayer funds to subsidise private LNG gas company profits, and instead use that money for faster buildout of cheaper clean energy, reducing need for Russian energy.
- Scale up energy efficiency across residential, industrial, and power sectors.
- Accelerate the switch from fossil-based energy to clean electrified alternatives, established well before Russia’s full-scale invasion, but still underperforming in Europe.
- Strengthening dynamic electricity pricing to cut peak-time gas reliance.
Razom We Stand is calling on President Trump and global leaders to press Putin by taking coordinated, bold steps, including:
- Imposing a total embargo on Russian fossil fuels and, at minimum, lowering the oil price cap to $20–25 per barrel, reflecting real market conditions and Ukraine’s national position.
- Blacklisting Russia at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to cut off illicit financial flows and force compliance.
- Dismantling Russia’s shadow fleet by enforcing maritime transparency, beneficial ownership disclosure, and stricter oversight of insurers and flag states.
- Applying severe secondary sanctions on Russia’s key oil customers, including China and India, to cut demand at its source.
- Aligning sanctions enforcement across the G7, EU, UK, and U.S. to eliminate loopholes that keep Russian fossil fuel revenues flowing.
Razom We Stand urge President Trump and allied leaders to stop wasting time on Moscow meetings and act now; Chancellor Merz must also move to shut down Russia’s oil and gas lifelines, close every sanction loophole, finally end all chances of restarting Nord Stream, and cut off the cash that fuels Putin’s war against Ukraine.
